Transporter

Abstract

This invention relates generally to a trailer for towing light weight items such as Motorcycles, All Terrain Vehicles, Jet Skis, garden tractors, mowers, golf carts or other miscellaneous loads. The Transporter embodied in this invention takes advantage of a fixed attachment to the rear of a towing vehicle that has a hinged interface to the trailer which allows vertical motion between the trailer and the towing vehicle but eliminates the sideways motions or yaw. The Transporter also has one or more castor type wheels which allow the trailer to be backed as an extension of the towing vehicle without danger of jackknifing. The castor wheels are easily removed allowing the side of the Transporter to rest on the ground, creating a ramp to drive the vehicle to be transported onto the Transporter. The side of the Transporter can then be lifted with a typical jack and the castor wheel assembly or assemblies slipped into place and fastened. When traveling the trailer unloaded, the wheels may be removed and the trailer tilted up approximately 90 degrees about the hinge and fastened securely in its up right position, allowing for parking in conventional size parking spots. The castor wheels are easily removed allowing for easy storage of the trailer such as hanging on a garage wall.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]1. Field of Invention[0002]This invention relates generally to a trailer for towing light weight items such as Motorcycles, All Terrain Vehicles, Jet Skis, garden tractors, mowers, golf carts or other miscellaneous loads.[0003]2. Prior Art[0004]Most small trailers are low and difficult to see when backing and very difficult to back without jackknifing. Even when not loaded, these trailers occupy an inordinate amount of storage space. It is often the case that after unloading a small vehicle trailer, the driver needs to run other errands and often has difficulty finding a parking spot of sufficient length for both the towing vehicle and the empty trailer. Castor wheel trailers with laterally fixed trailer to towing vehicle axis have been forwarded to resolve the jackknifing issue. Various complex, heavy and expensive methods have been employed to resolve the inherent high speed wobble of conventional castor wheels. Trailers have been shown that pivot upward from their...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]The Transporter embodied in this invention takes advantage of a fixed attachment to the rear of a towing vehicle that has a hinged interface to the trailer which allows vertical motion between the trailer and the towing vehicle but eliminates the lateral motions or yaw. The Transporter also has one or more castor type wheels which allow the trailer to be backed as an extension of the towing vehicle without danger of jackknifing or inordinate tire wear. The Transporter embodies a torsion bar drag latch mechanism that will be secured frictionally when the towing vehicle is moving forward, eliminating castor wheel shimmy.

[0006]When the load has been removed from conventional trailers, they still occupy almost the same space in a parking spot or in unloaded trailer storage as when fully loaded. The Transporter's vertical acting hinged interface allows the trailer to pivot around it, improving the ride and handling of the towing vehicle. It also allows the frame assembly to rotate 90 degrees to a vertical position and be latched, increasing the as-parked length by only approximately two feet. Removal of the quick release wheel assemblies makes the trailer light and easy to lift into the upright position. Also, removing the high mass wheel assemblies significantly reduces the danger from the torque that the frame assembly would place on the latch in a front end collision.

[0008]The easy removal of one wheel Assembly and lift out of the frame pivot bar from one of the U-clamps, allows for one side of the frame assembly to be placed on the ground creating a loading ramp. The trailer frame with the load installed can then be jacked back up to the horizontal position and the pivot bar placed back into the U-clamp, the wheel assembly replaced and the retention pins reinserted.

Problems solved by technology

Most small trailers are low and difficult to see when backing and very difficult to back without jackknifing.

Even when not loaded, these trailers occupy an inordinate amount of storage space.

It is often the case that after unloading a small vehicle trailer, the driver needs to run other errands and often has difficulty finding a parking spot of sufficient length for both the towing vehicle and the empty trailer.

Various complex, heavy and expensive methods have been employed to resolve the inherent high speed wobble of conventional castor wheels.

Unfortunately, however they embody high mass wheel assemblies which are not easy to remove and makes the lifting of such trailers cumbersome and potentially dangerous in abrupt stops or frontal collisions.

Reconnecting this type of trailer to the hitch assembly once it is loaded can be difficult.

Images